Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
4 7 1 3 0 C A N 5 A
BOq~TLE ~EY~NG SY8'rE~
~ECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to bottles
which deliver material to a system such as
electrophotographic printers. More particularly, the
present invention relates to a system for insuring the
proper placement of bottles which deliver material to a
system such as electrophotographic printerC.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVE~TION
Electrophotographic printers, such as digital
proofing and other printing machines produce single
color or multicolored prints of an original document.
A photoconductor film secured to a carrier member is
first charged to a uniform potential to sensitize its
imaging surface. The charged surface of the
photoconductor film is exposed to an image of the
original document, and records an electrostatic latent
image corresponding to the informational areas
contained within the image of the original document.
The latent image is developed with liquid toners or
inks. This imaging process may be repeated for each
process color, with the images sequentially recorded on
the photoconductor film. Typically, magenta, cyan,
yellow, and black inks are the four standard colors,
and additional special colors also may be used. The
developed image is transferred from the photoconductor
film to a print medium. Heat and pressure permanently
transfer the image to the print medium to complete the
process.
Generally, both a concentrate and a
replenisher ink in each color is required. Each color
has its own tank, valves, plumbing, and developer. If
the wrong color ink is installed into a plumbing
system, the machine will not print properly and long
down-time periods in the field result.
Color coded keying systems for preventing the
mismatching of components is well known. However,
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color coding can not prevent mismatched components from
heiny placed together.
Key and keyway systems also are well known~
These systems are commonly known to lock caps on
containers such as with drug containers to prevent easy
opening. These systems also are used to maintain a
proper alignment between two components. Some examples
of these systems are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos.
4,991,730 to Pehr, 4,854,459 to DeJonge, and 4,527,700
to Jupin et al. However, while these systems are known
to secure together or align two components, their use
for preventing the joining of two components is not
documented. As discussed above, there is a need for a
key-keyway system to prevent the connecting of improper
components such as ink bottles to ink plumbing systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The system of the present invention ensures
the proper placement of inks into the proper plumbing
system of printers such as electrophotographic
machines. Placing the wrong bottle on the wrong
receptacle is no longer possible. The system is used
with printers that require a plurality of similarly
shaped male tubes to be mounted on and received in
specific female bottle openings and prevents the tubes
from being mounted on incorrect bottle openings. The
bottle openings can be formed in covers which fit on
the bottles.
A mechanical keying system prevents the inks
from being loaded into the wrong color plumbing system.
The keying system includes unique keyed bottle covers
for each color. The keyed covers match Xeyed
replenisher and concentrate tubes in the writer.
Different keys are formed on the tubes and
complementarily-shaped keyways are formed on the keyed
cover for the bottle. A first key and keyway are
formed on a first tube-keyed cover pair which involves
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magenta ink. A second key and keyway are formed on a
second tube-keyed cover pair which involves cyan ink.
Third and fourth keys and keyways are formed on third
and fourth tube-keyed cover pairs which involve yellow
and black ink. Additional tube-keyed cover pairs are
used for additional special inks, where used.
Each key and each keyway include first and
second projections extending from a circular shape.
The first projection is located in a reference position
which is identical in all keys and keyways. The second
proiection is located a predetermined rotational
distance from the reference position. This distance
for each tube-keyed cover pair is selected to identify
the particular tube-keyed cover pair. The second
pro;eztion on any tube-keyed cover pair is located a
multiple of 45 from the location of the first
projection as well as the second projection on any
other tube-keyed cover pair. The first projection is
larger than the second pro;ection.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side view of the bottle keying
system of the present invention, showing the system
used with replenisher bottles.
Figure 2 is an exploded isometric view of the
bottle keying system of Figure l.
Figure 3 is a side view of the bottle keying
system of Figure 1, with portions in section, showing
the system used with concentrate bottles.
Figure 4 is an exploded isometric view of the
bottle keying system of Figure 3.
Figures 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, and 5F are top
views of the different Xeyholes used in one embodiment
of the keying system of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken
along line 6-6 of the concentrate bottle of Figure 4.
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Figure 7 i6 a side view of a protective cover
for the keyed bottle covers of the present invention.
DETAILED DESC~IPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The system of the present invention ensures
the proper placement of inks into the proper plumbing
system of printers such as electrophotographic machines
and high resolution digital proofing machines. These
printers use magenta, cyan, yellow, and black inks and
sometimes use additional special colors. Generally,
both a concentrate and a replenisher ink in each color
is required. Each color has its own tank, valves,
plumbing system, and developer. If the wrong color ink
is installed into a plumbing system, the machine will
not print properly, and the entire developer system
mu~t be replaced, resulting in high repair costs and
long down-time periods.
To dispense the ink, these machines require a
plurality of similarly-shaped replenisher bottles 10,
or other containers, which are connected to a
replenisher tube 12 which leads into the tank 14. The
replenisher bottles 10 dispense ink into the ink tank
14 during printing to replenish and regulate the
density of the ink supply. Additionally, a plurality
of similarly-shaped concentrate bottles 16, or other
containers, dispense ink into the tank 14 through a
concentrate tube 18 at the beginning of printing. A
mechanical keying system 20 prevents the bottles 10, 16
from being loaded into the wrong color plumbing system
by keying each replenisher bottle 10 and concentrate
bottle 16 to accept the proper matching replenisher
tube 12 and concentrate tube 18. The keying system 20
includes unique keyed bottle covers 22 for each color
which match keyed replenisher and concentrate tubes 12,
18 in the plumbing system.
Turning first to the replenisher system, as
shown in Figures 1 and 2, the replenisher tube 12
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extends from and communicates with the tank 14. The
replenisher tu~e 12 has a small orifice 24 to prevent
air from entering the lines and degrading the print
quality when the replenisher bottles 10 are replaced.
A circular fitting 26 is held in place on the
replenisher tube 12 by a retaining ring 28. The
fitting 26 has internal screw threads 30 (see Figure
4). The replenisher bottle 10 includes a body 32 and a
neck 34 and is filled with ink. A sealing foil 36 is
placed across the opening 38 at the top of the neck 34.
The foil 36 prevents contamination of the ink within
the replenisher bottle 10 and leakage of ink from the
bottle 10 before the bottle 10 is used.
The keyed cover 22 is placed on and becomes
an integral part of the neck 34 of the replenisher
bottle 10 such that the keyed cover 22 can not be
removed. The keyed cover 22 has screw threads 40 (see
Figure 4) for further securing the cover 22 onto the
threaded neck 34 of the replenisher bottle 10.
Permanent securing can be accomplished by various known
techniques including adhesive, tape, and mechanical
locking tab~. In one embodiment, the sealing and the
locking is performed with a double-sided, heat
induction sealing foil 36. Thus, the foil 36 seals the
replenisher bottle 10 closed and seals the keyed cover
22 to the bottle 10. The keyed cover 22 can be molded
in colors to match the ink in the replenishing bottle
10 to provide an additional, visual confirmation that
the correct bottle 10 is being used and that the
correct cover 22 is being used when the bottles 10 are
filled. A standard threaded cover 42 is screwed onto
the neck 44 of the keyed cover 22 to prevent damage to
the foil,36 during shipping and storage, as shown in
Figure 7.
When the replenisher bottle 10 is to be
connected to the replenisher tube 12, the standard
cover 42 is removed. The replenisher tube 12 is
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inserted into the replenisher bottle 10 through the
keyed cover 22. If the replenisher bottle 10 and
replenisher tube 12 mate, the external shape of the
tube 12 will match and be received in the keyed opening
46 in the keyed cover 22, as best shown in Figure 2.
The end of the replenisher tube 12 i8 beveled to a
relatively narrow point 48 to puncture the foil 36 and
push the foil 36 out of the way of the tube 12 during
insertion of the replenisher tube 12 into the
replenisher bottle 10. Also, the fitting 26 will fit
over and be screwed onto the neck 44 of the keyed cover
22 on the replenisher bottle 10. If the wrong bottle
10 is attempted to be placed on the tube 12, the tube
12 will only insert into ~he bottle 10 a short
distance, d" shown in Figure 2. This will not break
the foil 36 and no color contamination will occur.
The concentrate system, as shown in Figures 3
and 4, is similar to the replenisher system. The
concentrate tube 18 extends from and communicates with
the tank 14, and preferably, is fixed to the tank 14
via the circular fitting 26. The circular fitting 26
is slid over and fixed on the concentrate tube 18 and
i8 held in place by a retaining ring 28. The circular
fitting 26 is screw threaded onto the tank 14 opening
with threads 49 on the fitting 26 and threads 50 on the
tank 14. The concentrate bottle 16 is smaller than the
replenisher bottle 10 and includes a body 52 and a neck
54 and is filled with ink. A sealing foil 36 is placed
across the opening at the top of the neck 54 to prevent
contamination of the ink within and leakage of ink from
the concentrate bottle 16 before the bottle 16 is used.
A keyed cover 22 is placed on and becomes an
integral part of the neck 54 of the concentrate bottle
16 such that the keyed cover 22 can not be removed.
The keyed cover 22 has screw threads 40 for further
securing the cover 22 onto the threaded neck 54 of the
concentrate bottle 16. Permanent securing can be
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accompli~hed by the methods described above with
respect to the replenisher bottle 10. The Xeyed cover
22 also can be molded in colors to match the ink in the
concentrate bottle 16. A standard cover 42 is screwed
onto the neck 44 of the keyed cover 22 to prevent
damage to the foil 36, as shown in Figure 7.
When the concentrate bottle 16 is to be
connected to the concentrate tube 18, the standard
cover 42 is removed. The keyed cover 22 of the
concentrate bottle 16 is placed over the concentrate
tube 18. If the concentrate bottle 16 and concentrate
tube 18 mate, the external shape of the tube 18 will be
received in the keyed opening 46 in the keyed cover 22,
and the concentrate bottle 16 will reach the internal
threads 30 of the fitting 26. The fitting 26 will fit
over and be screwed on the neck 44 of the keyed cover
22. If the wrong bottle 16 is attempted to be placed
on the tube 18, the tube 18 will only insert into the
bottle 16 a short distance, d2 shown in Figure 4,
insufficient to break the foil 36 and cause color
contamination.
Screwing the concentrate bottle 16 into the
fitting 26 breaks the foil 36 and permits the ink to be
drained into the tank 14. Holes 56 in the side of the
2~ con~entrate tube 18 improve venting and permit the
concentrate bottle 16 to drain completely. Due to the
small clearances for the concentrate bottle 16, the
concentrate tube 18 must be relatively short. Simply
inserting the concentrate tube 18 into the concentrate
bottle 16 can not guarantee that the foil 36 will be
adequately broken and moved away from the concentrate
tube 18 orifice 58. Thus, the circular edge 60 of the
concentrate tube 18 is serrated 62 around most of the
circumference to cut the foil 36. The unserrated
portion 64 does not cut the foil 36 and permits the
uncut portion of the foil 36 to serve as a hinge 66
around which the cut portion of the foil 36 bends out
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of the way of the orifice 58. This is shown in Figure
6.
In the keying system 20, the tubes 12, 18
serve as male components, and keyed bottle covers 22
serve as female components. Different keys 68 are
formed on the tubes 12, 18 and complementarily-shaped
lceyways 70 are formed on the keyed cover 22 for the
bottles 10, 16. Figures 5A - 5F illustrate the keyways
for various colors. The respective keys tnot shown)
are complementarily shaped. A first key and keyway 71
are formed on a first tube-keyed cover pair which is
used with magenta ink. A second key and keyway 72 are
formed on a second tube-keyed cover pair which is used
with cyan ink. A third key and keyway 73 are formed on
a third tube-keyed cover pair which is used with yellow
ink. A fourth key and keyway 74 are formed on a fourth
tube-keyed cover pair which is used with black ink.
Fifth and sixth additional keys and keyways 75, 76 are
formed on fifth and sixth tube-keyed cover pairs, which
are used with additional special inks, where these inks
used.
Each key 68 and each keyway 70 include first
projections 78A, 78B, respectively and second
projections 80A, 808, respectively, extending from a
circular shape 82A, 82B. The first projection 78 is
located in a reference position which is identical in
all keys 68 and keyways 70. The second projection 80
is located a predetermined rotational distance from the
reference position as measured from the center of the
components. This distance for each tube-keyed cover
pair is selected to identify the particular tube-keyed
cover pair. As shown, the second projection 80 on any
tube-keyed cover pair is located a multiple of 45 from
the location of the first projection 78 as well as from
the location of the second projection 80 on any other
tube-keyed cover pair. In the illustrated embodiment,
the first projection 78 is larger than the second
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pro~ection 80. Alternatively, the shape of the first
and second projections 78, 80 can differ or the
projections can be identical.
The keyed covers 22 and fittings 26 can be
designed such that they work with both the replenisher
and concentrate systems. This reduces tooling and part
costs. The replenisher and concentrate bottles 10, 16
can not be incorrectly interchanged even with identical
keyed covers 22 and fittings 26 due to the sizes of the
components and the geometry of the hardware within the
printer. Although the foil 36 can be broken, such as
when the concentrate bottle 16 is attempted to be
mounted on the replenisher tube 12, the keying system
20 prevents cross-color contamination.
The keyed covers 22 can be used with existing
replenisher and concentrate bottles 10, 16 to retrofit
these bottles to prevent color contamination. As
discussed above, the keyed covers 22 can simply thread
onto the threaded necks 34, 54 of existing bottles 10,
16. ~he keyed cover 22 having a keyway 70 is placed
on the neck 34, 54 of each bottle ~0, 16, and a
replenisher tube 12 or concentrate tube 18, having a
key 68, replaces the existing tube. A circular fitting
26 is fixed on each tube 12, 18, and is screw
threadable onto the keyed cover 22 to secure together
respective bottles 10, 16 with tubes 12, 18.
In molding the components of this keying
system 20, the external shapes of the tubes 12, 18 can
be ohanged simply by rotating a small rib around the
outer diameter of the molding core pin or by changing
the core pin. This allows the mold for the keyed cover
22 to have different inserts for the various keyways
70. Additionally, in alternative embodiments, the key
68 and keyway 70 can have any of various shapes such as
triangles, rectangles, and other polygons as long as
the shapes for a given color match each other but do
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not match the shape for any other color. Single
projection keys 68 and keyways 70 also can be used.
Variou~ changes and modifications may be
effected therein by one skilled in the art without
departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
For example, the keying system can be used with any
type of containers where keying is necessary and can be
used with solid and other substance delivery systems.
Also, the keyed covers can be molded as one piece with
the replenisher and concentrate bottles if no sealing
foil is used.
